1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal watercraft. More particularly, the present invention relates to an oil feeding structure formed on a deck for feeding oil to a fuel tank provided in the personal watercraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many personal watercrafts have a structure in which an engine is provided in a central portion of the personal watercraft, a propulsion mechanism and an exhaust mechanism such as a propeller shaft, an impeller, a nozzle and the like are provided behind the engine, and a fuel tank and a lubricating oil tank are provided ahead of the engine. As a result, the fuel tank and the lubricating oil tank are positioned slightly ahead of a portion just below a steering mechanism including a steering handlebar. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional personal watercraft. FIG. 7 is a exploded perspective view showing a deck, a hatch cover and a deck cover of the personal watercraft of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line VIII--VIII in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a deck 52 of a personal watercraft 51 has an opening 53 formed in a front portion of an upper surface 52a thereof. The opening 53 serves to house a storage box 64 therein. In order to cover the opening 53, an openable hatch cover 54 is provided. A deck cover 56 is provided between a steering handlebar 55 and the cover 54. A seat 57 where a driver and a fellow passenger are to sit astride is fixed to a central portion of the deck 52 behind the deck cover 56. A flat deck floor 59 for enabling the driver and the fellow passenger to put their feet thereon is formed on both sides of and below a seat fixing portion 58 on the deck 52. An oil feeding port 61 is formed on the side of a portion 60 in the deck 52 where the hatch cover 54 is to be provided. An arrow F in FIG. 7 indicates a forward direction of the personal watercraft 51.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, an oil feeding pipe member 63 for feeding fuel into a fuel tank 62 is connected from the oil feeding port 61 to the fuel tank 62 provided behind and below the oil feeding port 61. The fuel tank 62 is provided behind the storage box 64. Recently, a storage box B is required to be larger. Therefore, a space where the fuel tank 62 is to be provided is restricted.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper surface 52a of the deck 52 is formed comparatively flatly. In order to enhance appearance design and to decrease an air resistance when running, the deck cover 56 is inclined upward from a front end thereof to a steering handlebar 55 portion on a rear end thereof. Accordingly, when the deck cover 56 is fixed, a space is formed between the upper surface 52a of the deck 52 and a lower surface of the deck cover 56 (see FIG. 8). Japanese Utility Model Publications Nos. Hei 6-25438 and Hei 7-55199 have disclosed the related arts as mentioned above.
In the conventional personal watercraft, the fuel tank 62 needs to be provided further rearward because the large-sized storage box is introduced as described above. Accordingly, if a position where the oil feeding port 61 is to be provided is taken onto the side of the hatch cover 54 in the deck 52, the distance between the oil feeding port 61 and the fuel tank 62 is increased. As a result, it is necessary to incline the oil feeding pipe member 63 from the oil feeding port 61 to the fuel tank 62 (see FIG. 8) and to extend the oil feeding pipe member 63 backwardly in a horizontal direction in the personal watercraft (see FIG. 6). Consequently, the effects of letting air out of the fuel tank 62 are deteriorated and an oil feeding speed is also reduced when the fuel is fed to the fuel tank.
If the oil feeding port 61 is to be provided further behind the above-mentioned position on the surface of the deck 52, the oil feeding port 61 is positioned in the vicinity of the deck floor 59. Thus, it becomes difficult to determine an appropriate position for the oil feeding port 61.